Just a minute in October

I'm playing along with Jen's just a minute- thanks so much Jen for this great way to recap and think over the month, it's nice not just to let each month pass.

For the first half of the month as you may know i was in the USA and rather recapping everything you can read more about it here and here and here and here.

But summing it up , I had a lovely time, quite frantic and busy, it was more of a family seeing trip then sight seeing. It was lovely to reconnect with people i had not seen in 17 years, and in some cases to meet their husbands and children for the first time.

I did a lot of talking, walking , op shopping and just wandering too, and because we visited 3 states in 10 day alot of flying too. Some of my favourite bits were just walking through the streets gettting to know each place. I guess I loved New York in particular it really is an amazing city.

Some of the highlights included my visit to Imagiknit, the snow in Boulder and my favourite seeing the Original Winnie the Pooh and gang in NY ( pictured above.)

It was also great to see and learn more about my mum, who is originally from there. We had a great time together, are closer from it and we had only one small niggle, pretty amazing considering we were living on top of each other. I feel incredibly lucky that mum and I are so close, but I think the trip particularly brought it to my attension.

For the rest of the month, recovering from a bad case of jetlag, enjoying being home and loving Melbourne all over again. And some other stuff too:

Listening: local artist Major Chords new release The Rabbit Hole. Beautiful folky pop I guess, but with amazing values lyrics and messages in his songs. This guy doesn't shy away from the hard stuff.

Bowerbirds Upper Air, equally lovely man woman duet really easy and beautiful listening.

Score! 20 years of Merge Records- A fantastic complilation featuring to name a few Okkervil River, the Shins, Death Cab for Cutie, Bill Callahan, Broken Social Scene, St VIncent, the National, Lavender Diamond the New Pornographer etc. I cannot recommend this album enough. ( sorry I know I've blogged about this before)

And finally got my hands on Iron and Wine's double release Around the Well. Just beautiful.

Reading: The latest Frankie thanks to a subscription for my bday. And A Lion Called Christian- an amazing book behind the equally amazing youtube lion reunion clip. Very moving and to be honest I thought it would be not as good as it is, perhaps something strung out of something, but it is totally worth reading.

Watching: Funnily enough I didn't watch anything on the plane. But since returning I really enjoyed Friday Night Lights, a series about a highschool football town. I got it because post trip I was needing some trash to keep me awake and distracted, but it surprised me totally because it's not your usual teen drama.

Making: October has been all about crochet and amigurumi, both OS coz it's so transportable, and since returning , I've had all this amazing yarn from the US I'd been dying to use. There's been, three bears and a rabbit so far.

Cleaning: I feel like it never ends- and yet my house is always rather chaotic.

for more of other people minute in October look here.

Possum- a rather fluffy bear

Thank you ALL for your LOVELY, KIND, ENCOURAGING comments about mr Fluff on my creative space. I was truly lovely because I was feeling a little down about him, thinking of giving up, yet had spent all this time on him and couldn't leave him alone.ANd I felt so encouraged and pressed on, despite my wobbles.
Anyway here he is, his name is Possum. I used 3 different yarns for him, a suri alpaca for his ears, arms and legs, that super fluffy yellow one, and a still fluffy but not quite up there white acrylic. He is not really a very troublesome bear, he just had a difficult birth, he likes playing leap from and lollipops and sitting in teacups, but he's not the best stander, and after many attempts of trying to get him to stand, I decided well not to push it, and if he doesn't want to, why should he?
I hope you like him after all this

My creative space

No line up this week, just one little unfinished bear who's been causing all sorts of problems. This little is made from one of my favourite fancy fuzzy yarns I got from Imagiknit in the States, and the great appeal of it is that his body and his head don't look crocheted and I really like that effect . The only problem with that is, well it's really hard to crochet because you don't know where you are!! It's funny it has taken me back to when I first started to crochet, the pace the concentration and in the end, I sort of hard to crochet by feeling where the next stitch is. The whole thing has been a slow and long process and quite different to when I usually make an ami guy, I'm so used to using wool and alpaca which stuffs and stretches differerntly to this acrylic yarn, and also it's a much bulkier yarn than I usually use. I've really had to make it the pattern as I go along, because it's all been a bit of an experiment. He's been causing me a great case of the wobbles, even in his nose and pinned on head not fully stuffed state unfinished state, I do hope it's going to be worth it, because at times I've felt like giving up..
I'd love any thoughts!!
THanks to Kirsty for hosting my Creative space, pop over here to see more successful creative
spaces.

Reading together

My latest gocco print. I printed up some cards, postcards, envelopes ( both new and vintage) and brown paper bags.

What fun!

the triforce advance: the never ending masterquest

the triforce advance: the never ending masterquest, originally uploaded by ghostpatrol.

I saw this on Saturday, it's really beautiful and well worth seeing.

on at Gorker Gallery until 8th of November

for more details click here and here.

My place and yours: Bedside

This week Lexi of the fabulous Pottymouthmama chose the theme for Pip's new Meme.

I don't have a bedside table but an old chair rather that houses Mr Rusty and Ferdy so when I wake up I see them saying good morning. All my bears used to be on my bed, but I found firstly there wasn't enough room for me, the cat, and them, and secondly because they keep dispearing under the bed, and I'm not sure they liked it under there. Also two lamps, one more for looks and the other that actually gives good light, and always a cup of water. I'm not the best sleeper I struggle to go to sleep so I like to have lots of my favourite things around me at night and plenty of reading material handy , more below my bed. Currently it's the new issue of Frankie, Steiff Sortiment 1892-1943, a sort of catalogue of every single toy they ever made in this period- a constant source of inspiration to me, and Just Bears- a gorgeous book full of poem about bears with really wonky worn love old bears that make me wobbly in the tummy. But sometimes I find my reading things wake me up even more, because I get inspired and excited and suddenly have to fetch wool, mohair and what not and start planning the next new thing.

I often take my computer up to bed too, so I can watch a DVD to help me sleep, but it always comes down with me first thing in the morning.

Check out more bedside matter here.

Miso, a rabbit

Yesterday I finished off this little bunny. He or she ( I'm not sure yet) proved to be a bit troublesome as the original body I made I didn't like so I had to do it again, and then I kept wobbling about him which sort of lengthened my usual obsessing process.

I've called him Miso and Miso is made from a lovely mohair mix I bought from Imagiknit.

Oh MY GOD!!!

I cannot breathe, I'm sooooo excited!! I just found out! the Decemberists are coming here to Melbourne!!!

My creative space

Nice to be back to both my little couch space and in Kirsty's meme.

Lots of things going on here, I got all the wonderful yarn over in the states so I'm having a hard time keeping to one current project. Currently working on a little brown rabbit, on an ami elephant ( the blue yarn mess), a new wooly panda, and a fluffy yellow bear. There's alot of fluffiness going on here, so of the yarns like the yellow one I find more challenging to crochet in, as the stitches get a little hidden amoungst the fuzz.

And looking on we have the beginning of new line up, including a newby Donut, Snug ( currently hanging out at my store), Cornflakes and still Enid ( she needs to go to Mikes for Mirabel.)

A big thank you to Kirsty hosting my creative space. For more creative spaces visit her lovely blog.

Attack of the Fuzzies

Since returning home, I've been really enjoying getting back to making bears ( as opposed to crocheting and dreaming of all the ones I'm going to make) especially since I got all the exciting new yarns from the US

This first little guy's new and called Donut and he's super fuzzy, made from a suri alpaca yarn I bought in San Fran. And you can expect more fuzziness from this part of the world, right now it's all about the fuzz, fluff and furr over here.

Also this little guy Snug waited the whole time I was away to become a bear, is soft and snuggly (surprise surprise) made from baby Alpaca.

Where the Wild things began

image originally found here
On my last day in New York I was lucky enough to see the original sketches by Maurice Sendak from the Where the Wild Things Are at the Morgan Library. It was amazing to see and know abit more about the story behind the book, the process and where it all began.

My place and yours: On the shelf

Pip has started up a great new meme, so I'm playing along.

These beautiful handmade and carved wooden animals, by an elderly farmer gentleman from Gippsland way who is no longer with us are on Part of my bookcase.

To play along and find out more look here.

Home

I got back home yesterday. I had a great time, but it is nice to be home too. As the airplane flew into Melbourne, into the grey and the cloudy weather ( opposed from when we flew into sunny lovely warm Brisbane) , my heart gave a little surge. "I'm home". Daggy old, grey old, Melbourne, wouldn't have it any other way. Like a favourite pair of ugg boots, that you foot fits perfectly in from being moulded into your feet, the familiarity is lovely too. So I feel lucky both ways, great time away,happy to be home.

I'm back with my beloved cat, who is definetly punishing me for going away.

I'm feeling very very wonky and strange though, the flight is a killer. I've got more trip related stuff to share, I wasn't the best at posting while there, we were very busy and prone to suddenly collapsing at nigh, but will wait a bit until my head feels like my own.

A very special day

today I went and saw the original Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger and Kanga which were the real toys owned by Christopher Robin, and the inspiration behind the stories, housed in the New York Public Library. It was one of the most special experiences of my life, and possibly the highlight of my trip. They all had such a huge spirit and life to them, were so worn and loved and just so beautiful. ( I had a little cry).

Perhaps it was particulary special to me because it was really my love of Winnie the Pooh and the stories that lead me to making bears, and he and all of them have been and are one the things that inspire me the most as a bearmaker/toymaker.

New York day 1

Besides Central park and some serious squirrel loving yesterday I also wandered around the Village, which is basically where I am staying, found a few great vintage shops and op shops and visit Purlsoho, which was really beautiful and busy. I've had to borrow a duffle bag from my cousin, to fit all the yarn I've brought. I also payed a visit to Purl patchwork, Purlsoho sister shop, where I was extremely proud of myself because despite huge temptation from such beautiful fabrics, I didn't buy anything.

Central Park

Squirrel Love

Yesterday we walked in Central Park and around the Village where I could indulge in some major squirrel love and feeding of the squirrels. Some of them are so tame! ( I really want one)

SNOW!!!

We spent the last two days in Boulder, Colorado where it snowed! It's not usual for this time of year, and it was real snow, I mean it stayed the whole time and barely stopped. It was magic ( and very very cold too -03 C degrees) We also had a lovely time with my cousin Maggie and her husband Will, who we were staying with.

I've just arrived in New York City tonight ( it's late) Hope to post more soon!

Kid in a candy store

Today I had the day to myself, so I decided to do a bit of a vintage / op shops trawl, starting at North Point( which is right on the water) and going back to the Mission District where there was also a wool shop Imagiknit I wanted to check out.

OK I'm struggling to put this into words, I could not believe this wool shop, I made lots of whimpers and gasps, it was that amazing ! I literally  died and went to heaven and for the first part of my time there I wondered round in a daze. Two rooms wall to wall yarn, the most amazing yarn, yarn we just can't get in Australia,  just so much yarn it was unbelievable. Pictures don't do it justice, and the people were so nice and it was hard not to buy the whole shop, ( i did my best)

and yes they do ship to Australia ( but the range on their website is nothing like in their store)

I like the Mission District alot, it's more real, less fancy than some of the more touristy places.

I got some great treasures too , including a blouse, a yellow and white crochet top, a pair of penguin ornaments, turkey salt and pepper shaker and a teddy cookie jar. My favourite place was Thrift Town on Mission which was huge and had two storeys of stuff and more stuff.